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The perceived impact of sexual orientation on the ability of queer leaders to relate to followers

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The perceived impact of sexual orientation on the ability of queer leaders to relate to followers (View Highlight) queer leaders perceive the impact of their sexual orientation on their ability to lead, specifically the leadership capability of ‘‘relating’’ as defined by Ancona (2005). (View Highlight) We access the leadership literature via the Leadership Framework, first explained in Ancona (2005) and later elaborated upon in Ancona et al. (2007). This framework is divided into four key capabilities for leaders: sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inquiring (View Highlight)

New highlights added 2023-02-20

Fassinger et al. (2010) argue that, as predominant leadership styles have moved from transactional approaches to transformational approaches to learning-based concepts of leadership, leadership roles are becoming more complex. (View Highlight)

how queer leaders perceive the impact of their sexual orientation on these relationships with their followers. (View Highlight)

there is little research on the queer leadership experience in the workforce. (View Highlight)

qualitative study in which semistructured interviews were conducted with self-identified queer leaders working in the notfor-profit, postsecondary education, and public sectors in Canada. A total of 10 men and 8 women ranging from 26 to 61 years of age were interviewed (View Highlight)

New highlights added 2023-02-27

qualitative paper (View Highlight)

‘‘With followers, no big deal; it’s with colleagues at the same level where it’s different (View Highlight)

This respondent also spoke about his inability to relate to men ‘‘who embody the standard societal definition of masculinity,’’ and how that population intimidates him. While Griffiths and Hebl’s (2002) research around employment discrimination experienced by gay men and lesbian women supports his concerns (View Highlight)

some respondents felt others who also identified as queer were more comfortable approaching them: ‘‘A barrier is removed for people coming in—they can engage with me easier, we can skip a step and get to another level faster. People might assume that I’m open to alternative views.’’ (View Highlight)

‘‘Do I have to disclose or can I find another way to approach this? (View Highlight)

  • Note: Like Sarah Drasner in Engineering Management for the rest of us: extra computation cycles

Regardless of their degree of being out, respondents all agreed that disclosure was an experience unique to the queer community and regularly occurred in their lives, not just in their roles within their organizations. In fact, three respondents did not think they would have become leaders had they not come out. This speaks to the impact of their sexual identity on their general identity as a leader, and reinforces the importance of disclosure and its unique impact on a person’s perceptions and attitudes (View Highlight)

Bowring and Brewis (2009) (View Highlight)

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